Google has announced that it will phase out third-party cookies in Chrome by 2023. Third-party cookies are small files that are placed on a user’s computer by websites other than the one they are currently visiting. They are often used to track users’ browsing activity across different websites.
Why is Google phasing out third-party cookies?
Google is phasing out third-party cookies because they are seen as a privacy violation. Third-party cookies allow websites to track users’ browsing activity across different websites, which can be used to build profiles of users and target them with ads. This can be a privacy concern for users, as it allows websites to track their online activity without their knowledge or consent.
What will replace third-party cookies?
Google has not yet announced what will replace third-party cookies in Chrome. However, it is working on a number of proposals, including FLoC (Federated Learning of Cohorts) and Topics. FLoC is a privacy-preserving way to group users together based on their interests. Topics is a way to allow websites to show users relevant ads without tracking their browsing activity.
FLoC works by grouping users together based on their interests. This grouping is done in a privacy-preserving way, so that individual users cannot be identified. Websites can then use FLoC to show users relevant ads without tracking their browsing activity.
Topics is a different approach to replacing third-party cookies. Topics allows websites to show users relevant ads based on their interests. However, Topics does not track users’ browsing activity. Instead, it uses a set of predefined topics to show users relevant ads.
What does this mean for advertisers?
The phasing out of third-party cookies will make it more difficult for advertisers to track users’ browsing activity across different websites. This could lead to a decrease in the effectiveness of targeted advertising. However, advertisers are still able to target users based on their interests, as long as they do so in a privacy-preserving way.
Advertisers will need to find new ways to target users without tracking their browsing activity. They may use FLoC or Topics, or they may develop new technologies. It is still too early to say what the full impact of the phasing out of third-party cookies will be on advertisers.
Conclusion
The phasing out of third-party cookies is a significant change for the advertising industry. It will make it more difficult for advertisers to track users’ browsing activity across different websites. However, there are a number of proposals that could replace third-party cookies, and it is still too early to say what the full implications of the change will be.